Inducers of hsp70 and prion disease in fly model

Zhang Y, Casas-Tinto S, Rincon-Limas DE, Fernandez-Funez P. Combined pharmacological induction of hsp70 suppresses prion protein neurotoxicity in Drosophila. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 11;9(2):e88522. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088522. PMID: 24523910; PMCID: PMC3921213.

Two fly reports relevant to neurodegenerative diseases

Zhu ZJ, Wu KC, Qian ZM, Yung WH, Ke Y. Drosophila models for studying iron-related neurodegenerative diseases. Sheng Li Xue Bao. 2014 Feb 25;66(1):47-54. PMID: 24553869.

Ling D, Magallanes M, Salvaterra PM. Accumulation of amyloid-like Aβ1-42 in autophagy-endosomal-lysosomal (AEL) vesicles: Potential implications for plaque biogenesis. ASN Neuro. 2014 Feb 12. PMID: 24521233.

Human Rab7 mutations in fly

Janssens K, Goethals S, Atkinson D, Ermanoska B, Fransen E, Jordanova A, Auer-Grumbach M, Asselbergh B, Timmerman V. Human Rab7 mutation mimics features of Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 2B in Drosophila. Neurobiol Dis. 2014 Feb 9. PMID: 24521780.

Two reports relevant to intellectual disability

Liu Z, Huang Y, Hu W, Huang S, Wang Q, Han J, Zhang YQ. dAcsl, the Drosophila Ortholog of Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long-Chain Family Member 3 and 4, Inhibits Synapse Growth by Attenuating Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling via Endocytic Recycling. J Neurosci. 2014 Feb 19;34(8):2785-2796. PMID: 24553921.

Willemsen MH, Nijhof B, Fenckova M, Nillesen WM, Bongers EM, Castells-Nobau A, Asztalos L, Viragh E, van Bon BW, Tezel E, Veltman JA, Brunner HG, de Vries BB, de Ligt J, Yntema HG, van Bokhoven H, Isidor B, Le Caignec C, Lorino E, Asztalos Z, Koolen DA, Vissers LE, Schenck A, Kleefstra T. GATAD2B loss-of-function mutations cause a recognisable syndrome with intellectual disability and are associated with learning deficits and synaptic undergrowth in Drosophila. J Med Genet. 2013 Aug;50(8):507-14. PMID: 23644463.

Review: Using Drosophila to study organ-to-organ communication in response to a wound

Lee WJ, Miura M. Mechanisms of systemic wound response in Drosophila. Curr Top Dev Biol. 2014;108:153-83. PMID: 24512709.

Review--mice and flies as model systems for studying muscle degeneration

Rai M, Nongthomba U, Grounds MD. Skeletal muscle degeneration and regeneration in mice and flies. Curr Top Dev Biol. 2014;108:247-81. PMID: 24512712.

Two new cancer-related fly studies

Martorell O, Merlos-Suárez A, Campbell K, Barriga FM, Christov CP, Miguel-Aliaga I, Batlle E, Casanova J, Casali A. Conserved mechanisms of tumorigenesis in the Drosophila adult midgut. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 6;9(2):e88413. PMID: 24516653.

Sievers C, Comoglio F, Seimiya M, Merdes G, Paro R. A Deterministic Analysis of Genome Integrity during Neoplastic Growth in Drosophila. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 6;9(2):e87090. PMID: 24516544.

In vivo RNAi fly study relevant to obesity

Baumbach J, Hummel P, Bickmeyer I, Kowalczyk KM, Frank M, Knorr K, Hildebrandt A, Riedel D, Jäckle H, Kühnlein RP. A Drosophila in vivo screen identifies store-operated calcium entry as a key regulator of adiposity. Cell Metab. 2014 PMID: 24506874.

Mini-review on fly models of obesity

Smith WW, Thomas J, Liu J, Li T, Moran TH. From fat fruitfly to human obesity. Physiol Behav. 2014 Feb 5. pii: S0031-9384(14)00034-1. PMID: 24508822.

From patient mutation to model fly: study related to mitochondrial function and disease

van Bon BW, Oortveld MA, Nijtmans LG, Fenckova M, Nijhof B, Besseling J, Vos M, Kramer JM, de Leeuw N, Castells-Nobau A, Asztalos L, Viragh E, Ruiter M, Hofmann F, Eshuis L, Collavin L, Huynen MA, Asztalos Z, Verstreken P, Rodenburg RJ, Smeitink JA, de Vries BB, Schenck A. CEP89 is required for mitochondrial metabolism and neuronal function in man and fly. Hum Mol Genet. 2013 Aug1;22(15):3138-51. PMID: 23575228.

From the abstract: "We identified a homozygous deletion of CEP89 in a patient with isolated complex IV deficiency, intellectual disability and multisystemic problems. ... these data confirm a role for CEP89 in mitochondrial metabolism. In addition, we modeled CEP89 loss of function in Drosophila. ... We conclude that CEP89 proteins play an important role in mitochondrial metabolism, especially complex IV activity, and are required for neuronal and cognitive function across evolution."

Rat cell and fly models related to hereditary spastic paraplegia

Solowska JM, D'Rozario M, Jean DC, Davidson MW, Marenda DR, Baas PW. Pathogenic Mutation of Spastin Has Gain-of-Function Effects on Microtubule Dynamics. J Neurosci. 2014 Jan 29;34(5):1856-67. PMID: 24478365.

Synaptic defects in APP, BACE fly model of Alzheimer's Disease

Mhatre SD, Satyasi V, Killen M, Paddock BE, Moir RD, Saunders AJ, Marenda DR. Altered synapses in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease. Dis Model Mech. 2014 Jan 30. PMID: 24487408.